Boot support

ABSTRACT

A shaped one-piece light weight plastic member for removable insertion into the flexible leg of a boot to support the same in an erect position and retain its shape with finger-engaging means at the upper exposed portion of the member to assist in inserting it into, removing it from and carrying the supported boot from one location to the other with a minimum of handling of the flexible boot leg itself.

United States-Patent Caputo [4 1 Aug. 8, 1972 [54] BOOT SUPPORT I 1,828,937 10/1931 Niemiwi ..12/114.6 [72] Inventor: Jane Caputo, Philadelphia, Pa. P EX k nma ammera c wson [73] Assignee: Was-Cap, Inc., Philadelphia, Pa. g, c & Millmanr [22] Filed: April 26, 1971 [57] ABS CT [21] Appl. No.: 137,201

v A shaped one-piece light weight: plastic member for removable insertion into the flexible leg of a boot to ((3? Support the same in an erect v i i and retain its a n r p 1 I e a n ex- Fleld 0f R, posed portion of the member to assist in inserting it into, removing it from and carrying the supported [56] References cued boot from one location to the other with a minimum UNITED STATES PATENTS of handling of the flexible boot leg itself.

Sherman 12/1 14.6

11 Claims, 4 Drawing Figures BOOT SUPPORT This invention relates to a support for the flexible tops of boots.

Boots have become very popular footwear and are used extensively. For reasons of fashion and economy, most boot tops or uppers are flexible and made of a wide variety of materials such as leather, plastic, and the like. Such flexible uppers do not stand upstraight by themselves.

The prior art known to the applicant relating to boot trees disclose expandable cardboard forms (US. Pat. No. 823,853) expandable plates (US. Pat. No. 2,105,395) and a wire member (U.S. Pat. No. 2,529,565). These have the disadvantage that they are not inexpensive to manufacture and require at times undesirable manipulation for their insertion into and removal from the boots.

The primary object of the invention is to provide a one-piece light-weight plastic, footJess, tapered form which can be readily inserted into and removed from the boot upper to support and retain the shape of the boot thus providing ease of storage, ease of shining or otherwise cleaning the boot and ease of display thereof.

Another object of the invention is to provide a support for a flexible boot upper made of a light-weight foam plastic which is tapered to provide a wide area approximately at the calf to engage the inner wall of the boot upper, a narrower foot-less lower'portion adapted to rest upon the insole at the heel portion, and a portion extending beyond the upper edge of the boot upper which can be grasped for insertion and removal of the support.

Yet another object is to provide a support for a flexible boot upper of the character above described with means at the exposed upper edge of the support whereby the same can be readily and easily grasped with the fingers of one hand to ease insertion, removal extends from the top edge 16 to the foot portion just below the ankle. It is to be understood that the instant invention is also applicable to flexible foot uppers which are not equipped with slide fasteners.

The instant support itself is generally indicated at 24 and is a one-piece elongated solid member molded or otherwise formed of a light weight plastic, preferably in foam form, such as polystyrene, polyurethane and the like.

The support has an upper substantially flat end 26 which is generally elliptical and a narrower substantially flat end 28 which is also generally elliptical. The support is generally shaped to conform to the human leg so that the front longitudinal surface 32 thereof is gradually curved from the upper edge 26 to the lower edge 28 to form an upper inwardly tapering portion 34 and a lower outwardly tapering portion 36 which meet at the narrowest portion 38. The opposite longitudinal back surface 40 has an upper surface 42 which is not parallel to the front upper surface 34 but rather bulges somewhat to conform to the general outline of the calf so that it converges relative to the front upper surface 34 to a narrowest portion 44 substantially horizontally opposite the narrow front surface portion 38. The lower portion 46 from the narrowest portion 44 tapers gently outwardly to the lower edge 28.

The opposite end surfaces 48 and 50 are of flatter contour longitudinally and generally elliptical transversely as seen in FIGS. 3 and 4. The upper portions 52 and 54 thereof are substantially parallel up to approximately the position of the narrow ankle portions 38 and 44 of the front and back surfaces at which point they converge as at 56 and 58 and continue with slight outward flare as at 60 and 62 to the lower end 28. The average cross-section of the portion of the support member from the convergence point or ankle position 38, 44 and 56, 58 to the bottom end 28 approximates the cross-section at said ankle position.

and general handling of the support with a minimum of 40 A means is provided for grasping the upper end porhand contact of the boot upper.

These and other objects of this invention will become more apparent as the following description proceeds in conjunction with the following drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is an elevational view of the boot support shown within the boot;

FIG. 2 is a side elevational view of the support itself;

FIG. 3 is a sectional view of the support itself taken on the line 3-3 of FIG. 2; and I FIG. 4 is top plan view of the support.

Specific reference will now be made to the drawing in which similar reference characters are used for corresponding elements throughout.

Indicated generally at 10 is a modem boot comprising a flexible upper or leg 12 integral with a foot'portion 14. The upper tapers from its top wider end 16 to its narrower lower end 18 where it joins the foot upper and covers the ankle. Depending of course on the length of the boot upper, the top edge 16 and a portion therebeneath may engage the calf or, more often, the top edge 16 may extend above the calf and a portion 20 therebeneath may engage the calf.

For reasons of fashion and economy, the upper or leg 12 is flexible and not self-supporting and is made of a wide variety of variously colored and decorated materials such as leather, plastic and the like. One side of the upper may be equipped with a slide fastener 22 which tion of the support to insert and remove the same from the boot. This means comprises a. pair of substantially U-shaped indentations 64 and 66 transversely opposite each other in the end surfaces 48 and 50 which open through the upper edge 26 of the support. Adjacent the lower curved edges 68 and 70 of the indentations are transversely opposed round dimples 72 and 74 which extend further into the support inwardly beyond the inner walls 76 and 78 of the indentations as seen in FIGS. 3 and 4. v

The entire support of foam plastic may have a rough surface if friction between it and the inner surface of the flexible boot upper or leg 12 is desired but is preferably molded or otherwise formed with a smooth surface to reduce frictional engagement with the boot upper or leg 12.

In use, with the tips of the thumb and preferably the third finger of one hand engaged in the dimples 72 and 74, and pressing against the inner walls 76 and 78 of the indentations, the narrower lower end of the support is pushed into the boot upper or leg 12 until the lower end 28 thereof engages-the insole above the heel as at 76. When this occurs the opposed upper surfaces 34, 42 and 48, 50 above the narrow ankle portions 38, 44 and 56, 58 for a portion of their length bear against the inner surface of the flexible leg as at 78 as seen in FIG. 1.

It will be seen that the length of the support 24 exceeds that of the boot leg 12 by an amount at least equal to the length of the indentations 64 and 66 so that the indentation means is always accessible and extends above the top edge 16 of the boot leg as seen in FIG. 1. When inserted therein the support 24 permits the boot to stand up erect for use in storage, display, shining or cleaning. Because of the finger engagement in the indentations 64 and 66 and dimples 72 and 74 the insertion and removal of the support can be readily and efficiently accomplished with a minimum of handling of the boot leg. Also, the boot so supported can be readily transported to other desired storage or display locations by means of finger engagement in the indentations and dimples, such change of position being more easily accomplished if the surface of the support 24 is somewhat rough. On the other hand, the provision of a smooth surface on the support 24 will render insertion into and removal from the boot leg of the support more facile. If a rough surfaced foam plastic support member 24 is used, it is possible to eliminate the dimples 72 and 74, for though they facilitate the gripping action, the pressure of the fingers against the inner walls 76 and 78 of the indentations may supply sufficient frictional engagement to effect handling of the support member.

While a preferred embodiment has here been shown and described, it will be understood that skilled artisans may make minor variations without departing from the spirit of the invention and the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In combination with a boot having a foot portion and a flexible leg extending therefrom; a member adapted to be inserted in said leg to support and hold it erect comprised of a one-piece light weight plastic member shaped to conform generally to a human leg and having a wider upper end portion and a narrower lower end portion, the bottom of said lower end portion engaging the insole of said boot at its heel portion and a part of said upper end portion pressing against a portion of said boot leg when said member is fully inserted into said boot, the length of said member exceeding the length of said boot leg so that said upper end portion of said member includes a free end which extends above the top of said boot leg.

2. The combination of claim 1 wherein said member is made of a foam plastic.

3. The combination of claim 2 wherein the foam plastic is polystyrene or polyurethane.

4. The combination of claim 1 and finger-engaging means in said free end portion of said member to grip said member.

5. The combination of claim 4 wherein said fingerengaging means includes a pair of transversely opposed indentations opening through opposite surfaces of said member and through the upper free end thereof.

6. The combination of claim 5 wherein said indentations are generally U-shaped and include inner vertical walls and dimples in said walls to receive the tips of the fingers.

7. The combination of claim 6 wherein the surface of said member is smooth.

8. The combination of claim 5 wherein the surface of said member is rough.

9. The combination of claim 5 wherein said member includ s a c v d su ace whi convex es rom thg upper ree en ereo to an an e posrtr n a ve an adjacent the lower end thereof, the lower end portion having an average cross-section approximating that of the member at said ankle position.

10. A member adapted to be inserted into the flexible leg of a boot to support and hold the same erect comprising a one-piece light weight plastic member shaped to conform generally to a human leg having upper and lower ends, the upper end having a greater cross-section than that of the lower end, the member having a curved surface which converges from the upper free end to an ankle position above and adjacent the lower end, the portion of the member from the point of convergence to the lower free end having an average cross-section approximating that at the point of convergence, and a finger-engaging means including a pair of transversely opposed indentations opening through opposite surfaces of the member and through the upper free end thereof.

11. The combination of claim 10 wherein said indentations are generally U-shaped and include inner vertical walls and dimples in said walls to receive the tips of the fingers. 

1. In combination with a boot having a foot portion and a flexible leg extending therefrom; a member adapted to be inserted in said leg to support and hold it erect comprised of a one-piece light weight plastic member shaped to conform generally to a human leg and having a wider upper end portion and a narrower lower end portion, the bottom of said lower end portion engaging the insole of said boot at its heel portion and a part of said upper end portion pressing against a portion of said boot leg when said member is fully inserted into said boot, the length of said member exceeding the length of said boot leg so that said upper end portion of said member includes a free end which extends above the top of said boot leg.
 2. The combination of claim 1 wherein said member is made of a foam plastic.
 3. The combination of claim 2 wherein the foam plastic is polystyrene or polyurethane.
 4. The combination of claim 1 and finger-engaging means in said free end portion of said member to grip said member.
 5. The combination of claim 4 wherein said finger-engaging means includes a pair of transversely opposed indentations opening through opposite surfaces of said member and through the upper free end thereof.
 6. The combination of claim 5 wherein said indentations are generally U-shaped and include inner vertical walls and dimples in said walls to receive the tips of the fingers.
 7. The combination of claim 6 wherein the surface of said member is smooth.
 8. The combination of claim 5 wherein the surface of said member is rough.
 9. The combination of claim 5 wherein said member includes a curved surface which converges from the upper free end thereof to an ankle position above and adjacent the lower end thereof, the lower end portion having an average cross-section approximating that of the member at said ankle position.
 10. A member adapted to be inserted into the flexible leg of a boot to support and hold the same erect comprising a one-piece light weight plastic member shaped to conform generally to a human leg having upper and lower ends, the upper end having a greater cross-section than that of the lower end, the member having a curved surface which converges from the upper free end to an ankle position above and adjacent the lower end, the portion of the member from the point of convergence to the lower free end having an average cross-section approximating that at the point of convergence, and a finger-engaging means including a pair of transversely opposed indentations opening through opposite surfaces of the member and through the upper free end thereof.
 11. The combination of claim 10 wherein said indentations are generally U-shaped and include inner vertical walls and dimples in said walls to receive the tips of the fingers. 